Page:History of John Cheap the chapman (2).pdf/10

 II.

E again came to a place near Sutry-hill, where the ale was good, and very civil usage, and our drought being very great, the more we drank, the better we lov'd it: and here we fell in company with a quack-doctor, who bragged us with bottle about for two days and two nights, only when one fell drunk, we pushed and pricked him up with a big pin to keep him from sleeping. He bought of our hair, and we of his pills and drugs, he having as much knowledge of the one as we had of the other. Only I was sure I had as much as would set a whole parish to the midden or mug all at once: but the profit, tho' all to come, went to the landlady to make up the loss of having the lime pish'd off her door-cheeks, and what we did not pish, we scyth'd thro' our teeth, and gave the dogs the girt bits.

But at last our money ran short, and the landlady had no chalk nor faith to credit us, seeing by onrour [sic] coats, courage, and conduct, that we would little mind performance against the day of payment. So then we began to turn sober and wise behind the hand, and every one of us to seek supply from another; and when we collected all the money we had among us on the table, it was but fourpence half-penny, which we lovingly divided amongst us, but only three baubees a piece, and as drouthy Tom's stock and mine was conjunct, we gave the quack again his shi--g stuff and stinking mugs, and he gave us our goods and pickles of hair, which we equally divided betwixt us, the whole of it only came to eighteen shillings and sixpence prime cost, and so we parted. I went for East Lothian, and Tom for the west But my sorting of goods being very unsuitable for that country, I got but little or no